Lost in the Night
by Second Aristh
Summary: Set after the events of Endgame. When they lose a member in an alien invasion, the Team must learn to cope. New friends and mysterious enemies appear on the scene offering more challenges and a spark of hope. How will the Team react when what they believe is proven wrong?
1. Chapter 1: Little Birds

Chapter 1: Little Birds

Dick watched as the lovely brunette finished strapping on her expensive heels.

"Are you sure I can't make you breakfast or something, Michelle?" Dick asked.

"Yes, handsome, I'm fine. Burned toast and scrambled eggs at four in the morning just doesn't sound that appealing to me at the moment." the woman replied with an amused smile. "All I want right now is to make it home in time to get ready for my flight in a few hours." The woman stood up and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. "Thank you for a very pleasurable night," she said, punctuating the last word with another kiss. "Next time I get roped into another ritzy ball, I'll know who to look for to come rescue me from all those stuffy old donors."

Dick, clad in a white t-shirt and some old sweats, crossed his arms as he leaned on the kitchen counter in his apartment. "Those stuffy old donors like to be able to put a face on the person that is handling their money, Ms Titan." He smiled. "Recognition is the first step towards trust. It's hard to understand why a humanitarian organization would need to build a skyscraper on the coast of Rhode Island."

The woman looked over her shoulder at Dick. "It's not just the Titan Foundation building it. You know that Wayne Enterprises and half a dozen other groups are helping a lot, too. Even if they don't know exactly what it's going to be used for."

A bright light broke through the relative darkness of his apartment. Tim was calling again. Dick ignored the glow and insistent buzzing from his phone on the counter. It had been almost nine weeks since it happened, but he still wasn't ready to face the Team altogether. Not yet.

"My cab is here. Mind walking me down?" asked Michelle, pulling Dick from his thoughts.

"Of course. Right this way," Dick replied as he offered the woman his arm. He led her downstairs to the street below for the waiting taxi.

Once the cab had driven away, Dick plodded back up the stairs to his apartment. He fumbled with his key, hoping to get a few hours of sleep before he had to begin his day. He turned the knob and locked the door behind him. An unexpected draft raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

"How long exactly have you been seeing her?" questioned a teenage boy in a red and black suit. He leaned against the side of the open window while sitting on the sill. One leg dangled lazily towards the floor while the other was braced against the opposite side of the window. The newest Robin wore an amused smirk.

"Am I going to have to start checking the rooftops for peeping birds every time I bring a girl here, Tim?" Dick countered with a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"So not long enough to answer the question, then," Robin remarked, ignoring Dick's response.

His adopted younger brother was sometimes just too clever. Dick smirked. "Rumor has it that I'm not the only one in this room enjoying the company of a beautiful woman overnight," teased Dick. He flashed a half smile. "You should know that you won't be able to keep something like that hidden from Bruce for long. Or from Wonder Woman for that matter."

Robin's ears and cheeks had clearly gone a little pink. "I'll have to remind Barbara that gossiping isn't very nice," he grumbled. "Besides, Cassie and I haven't actually done much of anything, yet. We just-"

"No need to explain anything to me, Tim," Dick interrupted, waving his hand in dismissal. "Save up those excuses for the people that are actually going to have a problem with your bird getting firsthand experience with some Amazonian bees."

The pink in Robin's ears flared to an even more noticeable hue. He remained silent.

"Now, if we're done ribbing each other about our sex lives," Dick voiced, "would you mind telling me why you're here?"

"Barbara is worried about you, Dick. We're all worried about you," Robin said. "You've been reclusive ever since June. Since Wally…" Robin paused searching for a way to phrase his thoughts without hurting Dick. "Look, it's not healthy for you to cut yourself off from your friends. Half the time you're not even answering the messages on your phone."

"Tim…" Dick started. His brother was right. What little he had communicated with his friends consisted of idle chitchat. Nothing about how his elaborate scheme against the Light and the Reach invasion had ultimately cost his best friend his life.

"I understand why you're upset, but you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened to Wally," Robin continued. "No one could have predicted how the Reach reacted to being exposed. That they would try to destroy the Earth just to hide their crimes. Not even you. Wally knew the risks going in. It's part of the job."

Dick crossed his arms, not willing to stop punishing himself. The pause in conversation lingered between the two brothers.

"It doesn't have to be all at once," Robin said. "Adam Strange notified the League yesterday morning that the zeta-shield has been down for weeks. Something in the Reach's magnetic field disruptors interfered with the shield emitter satellites and their self-diagnostics. They fed us false positives that the shield was still running. We only found out because several small groups of aliens decided that Vandal Savage's threat on Rimbor needed to be tested."

"You mean after all of our work, groups like the Kroleteans can still sneak onto Earth and cause trouble?" said Dick.

"Yeah, pretty much. The biggest irony is that Lex Luthor, as his first major action as the new UN Secretary-General, personally asked the League to help with dealing with the threat. He's getting rid of criminal competition while at the same time, keeping the League too busy to investigate his own schemes."

"That sounds like a move that Luthor would enjoy making. It fits his style," Dick hissed. "So what do you need me for?" he asked.

"The Team is focused on getting the zeta-shield back online as soon as possible. Strange needs to talk to the Reach scientist. Batman wants to send a few extra ears along with him, just in case. He asked me to see if you would go," said Robin.

Dick turned his head and frowned. Batman didn't necessarily need extra eyes and ears. Dick recognized the invitation being extended to him. He wasn't ready to rejoin the Team, and if he said yes now, it would only be harder to stop in the future. Still, they needed some way prevent more invasions. He owed that to Wally at least. He made his decision. "Hold on. Let me get suited up," he replied.

He walked back to his bedroom to don his black costume and mask. Within fifteen minutes, a pair of shadows were racing along the rooftops of Blüdhaven to the nearest zeta platform.


	2. Chapter 2: Chasing Shadows

Chapter 2: Chasing Shadows

_Recognize, Nightwing, B01. Robin, B20._ The zeta platform whirred in activity as the crime fighters stepped into the Watchtower proper. Aqualad's voice could be heard over the intercom. _Team, please report to the mission room for debriefing._

_~break~_

Artemis, clad in her orange Tigress suit, made her way down the hallway to meet with the others. It was hard to get used to being in the League's private space station. She always felt like there wasn't enough room for all the people there. Some days it was worth it to take a trip to Earth just to get some room to breathe freely. Even the makeshift living facility near the ruins of Mount Justice was starting to look more comfortable than the Watchtower. She suddenly felt glad that she still had their place in Palo Alto, even if she kept forgetting that Wally wasn't going to be running through the door at any second.

She saw Miss Martian, Beast Boy, and Blue Beetle coming from the opposite hall. Wonder Girl and Batgirl were close behind, emerging from the upper floors. As she turned the last corner, she was shocked to see Nightwing standing beside his mentor and Black Canary. The last time he had been in the Watchtower was the night that Wally sacrificed himself, she realized. She wondered what could have convinced him to rejoin the Team. Was it only temporary, or was Nightwing coming back for good? She would have to find out for sure later. Kaldur was beginning the debriefing.

"As you know," the Atlantean said, "the zeta-shield has been offline for some time. Several small cells of various alien groups have taken advantage of the lapse in protection to pursue criminal interests on Earth. At the request of U.N. Secretary Lex Luthor, the League has taken on the responsibility of containing these threats. The Team has pledged to do whatever we can to help them. Several of our members are already in the field alongside League members. In the meantime, we should focus on reestablishing the zeta-shield as soon as possible."

Kaldur signaled Batman, and the caped crusader stepped forward.

"Adam Strange has determined that the magnetic field disruptors deployed by the Reach in June were the initial cause of the zeta-shield failure. He has established a weakened version of the zeta-shield, but it will only alert us to when and where someone zetas to Earth instead of stopping them from coming altogether. He needs to speak with the Reach scientist to find out how to repair the shield for a permanent solution."

Black Canary brought up a map on the viewscreen. "We also have reports of Bialyan agents conducting covert activities in Egypt. Our intelligence points to Psimon, Devastation, Shimmer, and an unknown adult male leading their forces in door-to-door searches. President Bahur has asked us to intervene for the Egyptian government."

Aqualad faced the group again. "Nightwing, Tigress, and Blue Beetle, you are Alpha squad. You will be accompanying Batman and Adam Strange to the Sciencells on Oa to interrogate the Reach scientist while she is awaiting trial. Batgirl, Miss Martian, Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, and Robin are Beta squad. You will investigate the situation in Egypt. Find out who they are looking for and why. If we can get to him first, we may not have to face the agents directly. Are there any questions?"

Artemis tuned out the Team's questions and Aqualad's answers. Right now she was more concerned with getting Nightwing's attention. She kept trying to catch his eye so she could signal that she wanted a word with him. So far, he wasn't cooperating with her mental directions.

After around twenty minutes of questions, the squads were ready to move out. There was little chance of talking to Nightwing alone at this point. Artemis decided to corner Nightwing sometime while they were on Oa.


	3. Chapter 3: Hide and Seek

Chapter 3: Hide and Seek

The last rays of the sun were falling behind the horizon as Miss Martian piloted the bio-ship through the Egyptian skies near the coastline. Batgirl watched Robin yawn. It looked like he was fighting a losing battle against sleep. His eyes were staying more closed than open, and his chin was resting on his fist. Barbara met M'gann's eyes and felt a private psychic link begin to form between them.

_A night of patrolling followed by a mission across half a dozen time zones can wear out anyone_, commented the Martian. _I'm really glad he convinced Nightwing to come, though. Wally's death is hurting him as much as Artemis._

_Maybe him showing up this morning is a sign that he's done pulling away from everyone, _Barbra replied.

Batgirl checked their coordinates with the ones that Aqualad had provided about the most recent sightings of the Bialyan agents. They were quickly closing in on the areas that would be searched today if the group followed the same pattern. She surveyed the urban residential area below. Overall, there were lots of places to search if someone needed to hide. Several apartment buildings had fire escapes, and alleys between buildings were narrow, making it all the easier for a person to climb without being noticed.

"Whoa, did you see that?!" Beast Boy interjected. Robin's eyes snapped open.

"See what?" Wonder Girl asked.

"That guy! The one in the dark cloak and hood," said Beasty Boy. His tail twitched left and right. "He walked into that alley three seconds ago, and now he's running across the rooftops. I don't think I could even climb that fast."

"Are you sure? It's getting awfully dark. Maybe it wasn't the same guy," said Wonder Girl.

"Trust me. I'm sure," the green-skinned teen replied. "How many people are going to be running around in cloaks like that?"

"What are the odds that we would run into somebody running across rooftops when we're looking for Bialyan goons while they're looking for somebody? I think it's worth investigating," said Miss Martian with a shrug.

"Agreed. Beast Boy, you're the one that saw him. Do you think you could track him?" asked Batgirl.

"Beast Boy is up to the challenge!" he exclaimed. Suddenly Batgirl was staring at a green bloodhound beside her.

"Okay, you're with me. We're going to have a chat with the guy leaping tall buildings in a single bound." She stood over the lower hatch of the ship. "Whoever it is is obviously scared of something, so we don't want to spook him even more with everyone appearing at once. M'gann; you, Robin, and Wonder Girl bring up the rear. Be on the lookout for anyone trying to tail us," commanded Batgirl. She turned towards Beast Boy. "Let's go, Lassie."

A caped woman and a green monkey dropped down from the nearly invisible bio-ship to land on a rooftop.

"This way!" Beast Boy called.

Both heroes took off running in the direction they last saw the man running. When they came to the first gap between buildings, Beast Boy leapt and morphed into an owl, using the momentum from the leap to gain altitude. Not to be outdone, Batgirl performed a perfect aerial across the narrow gap.

After around half a mile of running, they paused. They were getting into some of the older parts of the city. Fewer streetlamps in the area would make it easier for their target to hide. Beast Boy returned to his canine form. They followed the scent trail down to the shadowy alley below.

"The guy is definitely nearby. Where could he have gone?" he asked.

Suddenly, the shadows at the innermost part of the alley coalesced into a mysterious cloaked figure poised ready to defend himself.

"Who are you?! Why are you chasing me?!" demanded the figure in a frightened voice. The voice was in a much higher pitch than Batgirl expected.

"Whoa! Mystery guy is actually mystery girl, haha!" exclaimed Beast Boy. "Hi, I'm Beast Boy! What's your name?"

Batgirl finally got a good look at the mystery woman. She was younger than she expected. Probably no more than twelve or thirteen years old. Her dark hair provided contrast to her pale skin and bright violet eyes. She wore a dark grey tunic beneath her cloak. It looked as if she hadn't had a safe place to sleep in days. Beast Boy's enthusiasm was provoking the girl to run again.

"What my friend means is that we know you are running from some bad people. We don't want to hurt you. In fact, we would like to help you if you'll let us," Batgirl explained, trying to put the girl at ease.

"Yeah, we're the good guys come to save the day," Beast Boy proclaimed, puffing out his chest.

_Batgirl, you've got company! Look out! _shouted Miss Martian over a psychic link.

A huge chunk of the alley wall just behind Batgirl's right shoulder collapsed into a pile of fine silvery dust. Batgirl recognized the handiwork. Shimmer rushed out of the hole followed by Psimon and Devastation.

"What are the brats doing here?" shouted Psimon in a rage. "Quickly, take the girl, and let's go."

Devastation moved menacingly toward the young girl. Batgirl jumped into her path, batarang at the ready. Even if she couldn't take the thug down on her own, she had to at least buy some time for the others to come to the rescue.

"You think you're big enough to stop me little bat?" mocked the gargantuan woman. "I'd like to see you try!" she laughed.

"Me first!" shouted Wonder Girl as she drove both heels into Devastation's chest. The force from the kick drove the woman back several feet into Shimmer, preventing her from immediately attacking the group. Wonder Girl didn't allow any time for her opponent to recover. She flew parallel to the ground, grabbing Devastation's ankle. After swinging the woman once around her body, Wonder Girl sent her flying across the street.

Meanwhile, Shimmer was preparing to rush the others. Batgirl didn't like their chances in fighting those three without room to maneuver. _M'gann, we need to move this fight now! _she urged across the psychic link. _I'm taking the girl through the building. Be ready for Psimon! _

Out of the corner of her eye, Batgirl saw a red and black shape move on the rooftop. There was a sharp crack and smoke poured into the alley from a pellet in Robin's utility belt. Batgirl didn't stay around to watch the show. The distraction allowed her to take her boot to a flimsy side door. She dragged her mystery woman along with Beast Boy into the building and kept running.

It turned out that the first floor of the building was a grocery store, closed for the night. The group sped through the shelves trying to get to the front entrance. Once Batgirl let go of him, Beast Boy morphed to his gorilla form and carried the runaway girl under one arm. With a quick reach to her belt, Batgirl hurled a disk at the front window of the store. She hoped the resulting explosion would be enough to cover their exit. When the disc made contact, there was a loud crash of shattered glass, and a wave of heat scoured Batgirl's face. Fortunately, they were still far enough away to not need to slow down. As she leapt out of the blasted window, Batgirl saw their luck run out. Psimon was ready for them with one hand on his temple and one hand extended toward them. An ugly sneer appeared on his face.

_So predictable, _he taunted.

Batgirl felt a searing torrent of pain all over her body. Psimon's psychic assault was enough to bring her to her knees among the shards of broken glass from the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Beast Boy shaking beside her, clearly in pain. It was all that Batgirl could do to keep from passing out, much less fight back. She watched as Beast Boy slumped over in unconsciousness. The mystery woman was wiggling, unsuccessfully trying to remove herself from the ape's grip.

"Batgirl!" Robin screamed. He was in a deadly dance with Shimmer. The villain had already struck the center of his bō staff, splitting it in two. It was taking all of Robin's attention and agility to stay out of her reach. Wonder Girl wasn't in any position to help either. Devastation was taking every attack she threw at her and coming back for more.

_You're not going to win, Psimon. Give up before this gets any worse, _said Batgirl to her mind's invader.

_I'm impressed that you can keep a coherent thought, _Psimon sneered. The venom was dripping off his words. _Don't worry. I'll fix that soon enough. I've had plenty of time to practice lately. Queen Bee even brought me a tutor. Do you know what it's like to be a prisoner in your own mind for weeks? Your friend did that to me. Now I'm going to give each and every one of you the chance to experience it for yourselves. That Martian bitch isn't here to save you now! _he ended in a mental roar.

_Actually Psimon, I'm right here, _Miss Martian replied as she phased herself up through the street. _Let's see how much you've improved._

Batgirl felt like a physical weight was lifted off her temples when Psimon took his focus off her and placed it onto Miss Martian. Beast Boy started to regain consciousness as well.

"Beast Boy, get the girl somewhere safe," Batgirl ordered. "We'll catch up as soon as we can. Meet at the rendezvous point."

Whatever Psimon had done while he was under the effects of Artemis's poison dart, he was certainly giving Miss Martian a real fight. Both psychics were tense and sweating. Now was her chance, Batgirl realized. Psimon couldn't fight Miss Martian mentally and defend himself physically at the same time. She knew that breaking his concentration would give M'gann the opening that she needed to end the fight quickly. Then they could concentrate on helping the others. She stumbled forward, still trying to recover herself. In her half-aware state, Batgirl didn't see the attack coming. Wonder Girl slammed into Batgirl's side as Devastation finished swinging the heroine from her own golden lasso. Both women flew several yards down the abandoned street.

"Heh heh heh, what's the matter little girl?" taunted Devastation. "You're not on your A-game tonight. Why don't you go home and cry to Wonder Woman?"

Robin skidded to a halt in front of Batgirl and Wonder Girl, holding a defensive stance. Batgirl noticed a large chunk of his cape missing, courtesy of Shimmer no doubt. Their moment of peace couldn't last for long. Devastation and Shimmer were slowly closing in on the three heroes and cutting off any way for them to help Miss Martian.

"We need to do something quick," said Robin glancing in Batgirl's direction.

"Agreed. Miss Martian-" shouted Batgirl.

"Little busy here," the redhead replied in a strained tone.

"Tactical retreat!" Batgirl continued. She threw several smoke pellets in front of the approaching villains. At the same time, Miss Martian turned intangible and escaped through the building behind her. The smoke slowly cleared, leaving no clues to where the heroes went.

_~break~_

Batgirl took the lead down a series of back alleys with Robin and Wonder Girl running behind her. Miss Martian was covering the group from above and keeping a lookout for pursuers. Batgirl felt her connect everyone in a psychic link once they had put enough distance between themselves and Psimon.

_Okay everybody, we need to move to the rendezvous point to meet up with Beast Boy. We took a bunch of detours to make sure the three stooges couldn't follow, but I'd rather not leave him on his own for any longer than we have to, _said Batgirl over Miss Martian's psychic link.

_How far is it to the rendezvous point again? _asked Wonder Girl.

_The bio-ship is hovering over a small parking garage about a mile from here,_ supplied Miss Martian. _It shouldn't take us long to get there._

_Good. I'm not looking forward to another round with Devastation. She's gotten faster since last time, _complained Wonder Girl.

_Shimmer has improved also. I couldn't land an effective attack from close range, _Robin supplied.

_It's hard to believe those are the same people we fought in February. They didn't even fight this hard when Zatanna broke the Reach's control of Blue Beetle in June, _said Wonder Girl. _What do you think made the big difference?_

_That's a question for another day, Beta squad, _said Batgirl. _Right now we should focus on getting our mystery girl away from them for good. We can figure out who's giving Snap, Crackle and Pop pointers tomorrow._

The group kept on the move for another ten minutes of flitting through alleys and shadows. Soon the parking garage was visible at the bottom of a small dip in the terrain. The old garage was typical, if small. There were three levels of parking supported by thick pillars. At this point in the night, there was only a smattering of cars left in the lot. The group paused, and Robin peered through night-vision binoculars from his utility belt.

"I see Beast Boy and the girl," reported Robin. "They're hiding between two cars on the bottom level. The rest of you make for the bio-ship. I'll go get them."

"You heard the man, ladies. Let's get into the air. Once their target is gone, the Psimon and the rest won't have a reason to stay here," said Batgirl.

Batgirl watched Robin flit down to retrieve their teammate while Wonder Girl gripped her forearms to carry her. The three women had risen to around half the altitude of the bio-ship when Robin reached the couple hiding in the lowest floor of the parking garage. A slimy voice entered Batgirl's mind.

_Tsk tsk, we narrowed the search for the girl from all of Egypt to a single city in two days. What makes you think that we can't follow her trail after she's been gone for a few minutes? _questioned Psimon. _If we can't take her with us, she's not leaving at all. Psimon says, this parking lot is too tall._

Shimmer emerged from behind one of the large pillars supporting the upper levels of the garage. Batgirl watched in horror as a touch from both of her hands caused the pillar to collapse in a pile of silvery dust. At the same time, Devastation launched a heavy truck through all the pillars on the opposite side. The structure groaned.

Miss Martian shrieked, "It's too heavy! I can't hold it!" Within seconds, the entire structure buckled and collapsed, leaving no chance for anyone to escape.

"TIM! NO!" screamed Wonder Girl. She rushed to the pile of rubble that once was a parking garage.


	4. Chapter 4: An Old Enemy and New Hope

Chapter 4: An Old Enemy and New Hope

Artemis had never been to Oa before, much less seen the Sciencells. She had to keep reminding herself to stop gawking around like a tourist, even if it seemed they were walking in a green alien equivalent of the Grand Canyon. They were walking in a loose group. Batman and Adam Strange were in the front with Blue Beetle walking next in the middle. Artemis walked beside Nightwing in the rear. The lantern escorting Alpha squad had just finished explaining how the Sciencells had been built by the Guardians of the Galaxy to house the most dangerous criminals while they await trial. Really, the whole place reminded her of a gigantic green beehive, but instead of a towering wall of hexagons, the individual cells resembled the symbol on the lantern rings. Even the way the lantern guards were flying about on patrols gave her the distinct impression of bees doing various duties in a hive.

"This way to the prisoner," stated their lantern guide. He gestured to a floating platform hovering in front of them along a wall of cells. Once the group stepped onto the platform, it began to rise. The lantern flew in his own green aura beside them, keeping level with the platform. Artemis lost count of how many cells they passed after the first dozen or so. If she didn't have so much experience with tall buildings, she might even be nervous about the platform having no safety rail. She chose to focus on the task at hand. Soon she would be face to face with one of the ones most responsible for Wally's death. For him sacrificing himself to save the world. For him missing out on living the rest of his life with her and… She forced herself to stop going down that road in her mind again. It wouldn't help to face the alien woman while fighting back her own tears. Artemis didn't even know how she was going to react, but she knew that she wanted to be ready for anything.

The platform finally came to a rest. Their escort raised his closed fist towards the green dome of energy that comprised the door of the cell. A ray of green energy emerged from his ring forming a bond between the lantern and the door. Artemis could feel the pulsing of the energy passing between the two devices, almost like a key being slowly slid into a lock. After a few moments of communication, the door accepted their guide's credentials, and the energy that made up the door dissolved.

The lantern was first through the door, but the rest of the group soon followed. As Artemis entered the small room, she realized that the door she passed through was only a door to an antechamber of the real holding cell. Their lantern waited until everyone had entered. Instead of opening the inner door, he turned to close the outer door.

"Protocol says that only one door to a cell may be open at any time," he explained. "This one has to close before we can go any further."

Artemis understood the airlock-style security features, but they were grating on her nerves. She was ready to get this confrontation over with. After closing the outer door, the lantern moved to the inner door of the cell and formed a second energy cable to unlock their next obstacle.

When the inner door dissolved, Artemis saw the Reach scientist. She still had that smug sneer on her face as she sat behind a table made of the same green energy as the doors.

"Good afternoon," she hissed with a nod of her head. "Or whatever time of day it is on this accursed rock. How can I help you? And by that I mean, what can I do to remove you from my presence as soon as possible?" The group filed into the room. "You bring the Reach's greatest failure on Earth as well?" she remarked when Blue Beetle walked in. "As a scientist, I am intrigued. What set of circumstances could possibly bring you here?"

Batman growled, "Tell us everything you know about the magnetic field disruptors." The dark knight added one of his menacing glares to the end of his demand.

To her credit, the Reach scientist only flinched for a moment. "That might take a great deal of time," she mentioned. "I know much about the disruptors. Perhaps you can be more specific."

Adam Strange stepped in to confront the alien woman. "For some reason, the disruptors took down the zeta-shield protecting Earth. We want to know how it happened and how to prevent it from happening again," he explained.

Artemis saw the Reach scientist's mind grasp the problem and begin formulating theories. She said, "What do you mean, the zeta-shield fell because of the magnetic field disruptors? The disruptors do use zeta-beam technology to begin a colossal magnetic storm, but at least one of them would have had to have made it to the chrysalis stage to build enough momentum to affect something like that." Her eyes narrowed. "That obviously didn't happen, otherwise Earth would be gone, and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Rage took over Artemis's actions. "Wrong!" she shouted. "Kid Flash gave his life to stop your bombs after they had activated!" She grabbed the Reach woman and used her forearm to pin her neck to the cell wall. "They ran until all the energy got siphoned off! He was too good of a person to let you win!"

Batman and Nightwing pulled Artemis from the woman. She slumped to the floor gasping for breath. Artemis let them pull her away. Crushing the woman's windpipe wouldn't bring Wally back.

"I see," the scientist rasped. Triumph shown in her features. "The high level of kinetic energy interacted with the disruptor and the zeta-shield. Thank you, Tigress. You have given me an important bargaining chip."

Artemis felt her anger rising again. She was going to thrash the bitch and screw the consequences.

Nightwing held her shoulder tighter. "Not here," he insisted. "Don't fall for her digs. It isn't what _he_ would have wanted. It's not worth it. Come on, Artemis," he whispered.

Her friend's words were enough that Artemis was able to reclaim a semblance of control.

The Reach scientist looked to the lantern observing the proceedings. "Bring me a holoscreen and a computer so I can check my theory," she demanded. She turned back to the heroes. "Now we can discuss my price," she sneered.

Batman stepped in himself to intimidate the woman. "Do you think anything you have to say is enough to buy you your freedom? No deal. Give us the information now!" he roared.

The list of people that had faced a threat like that from the dark knight without folding was small. That day, it gained a new entry. "Is all Earth meat as arrogant as you?" the woman mocked. "After our failure, I am subject to death should I ever encounter another force from the Reach empire. No, what I want to bargain for isn't my freedom. I want to trade my knowledge for something else entirely. I will reveal everything I know to help you in exchange for two conditions. First, I get permission and equipment to continue my research within reason while in Guardian custody. I can make many breakthroughs without the results I was looking for on Earth," she explained. "Second, you do everything in your power to make that fool ambassador and the former Black Beetle suffer to their dying breaths."

The scientist's cruelty chilled Artemis to her core. What kind of warped soul would want that?

Batman glanced at their lantern escort. "Done," he agreed.

"Excellent," the scientist purred. "I have to do some calculations to confirm my suspicions, but I believe that the zeta-shield was damaged in a rogue zeta-transmission."

"What are you talking about, a rogue transmission? The zeta-shield prevents all zeta-transmissions from outside Earth," Strange questioned. "I built the shield myself with help from Rannian technology."

"Not only does your shield prevent zeta-transmissions to Earth from off-world, but it should also prevent transmissions _from_ Earth," the scientist replied. "But no reasonable system is equipped to handle an unstable zeta-transmission boosted by such a high degree of kinetic energy."

A surge of hope flooded through Artemis. "Wait, are you saying that the zeta-shield failed because something crashed into it hard enough to break the whole system?!" she demanded.

The scientist turned her attention to Artemis. "An overly simplistic way to phrase the process, but yes," she answered. "Something moving with a high enough kinetic energy to affect the Reach disruptor could have broken the zeta-shield if the disruptor imparted enough zeta-beams to go to critical levels. Basically, your agent moving fast enough to siphon off the zeta-beams from the disruptor would have been enough to send him on a rogue zeta-transmission that had enough force to disable the zeta-shield. At least in theory." The look of triumph returned to her face.

"You mean our friend might be alive out there wherever he got zapped to?" asked Nightwing.

"I won't be able to confirm my suspicions until someone brings me my equipment," she replied. She glared at the lantern as he began a message to his superiors.

Nightwing glanced at Blue Beetle with a questioning eye.

"The scarab can't find anything to say that she's lying, _ese_," said Blue Beetle, "but science this deep isn't its specialty either."

Nightwing nodded in understanding and gratitude to their friend.

"Nightwing, take Tigress and report back to the Watchtower," commanded Batman. "We will finish in here."

Adam Strange and the Reach scientist started to discuss the mathematics and physics behind the theory. Artemis didn't pay much attention to them. She was still caught on the glimmer of hope shining through the shadows that had captured her heart. Wally could still be out there somewhere. Somewhere that she could rescue him.

She allowed Nightwing to lead her out of the inner cell. It was clear that Batman had been trying to give them both a chance to compose themselves. The possibility of bringing Wally back was enough to charge every fiber of her body and paralyze her at the same time. She knew that Dick was having the same trouble. There was a new fire in his eyes. He had a direction to go now. They were going to bring Dick's best friend and the love of her life home again.

_~break~_

A second Green Lantern had finally made it to lead them to the administrative offices, this time a female lantern with bright golden skin. Artemis's alien physiology was a little rusty, but she wanted to say she was from one of the Graxos planets. Artemis was glad that she had finally arrived. The Sciencells housing the criminals were not designed to hold groups of people for extended periods.

The two heroes walked far enough behind the lantern to give their conversation the illusion of privacy. Artemis kept rubbing her eyes trying to conceal her emotions. "How are you holding up?" questioned Nightwing in a whisper, one of his arms around her shoulders.

"It's…it just doesn't seem real yet," she answered after a moment. "I keep waiting for myself to wake up. To realize that this isn't real. It's just a dream. I don't know if I can take it to get my hopes so high only to have them crash down when reality comes back."

Nightwing nodded. She knew he was feeling much the same way. He said, "We're going to find him Artemis, no matter what it takes. I won't stop looking. Ever."

She nodded in agreement and gave him a squeeze before letting go. "We should get a message to Kaldur as soon as we can," said Artemis. "The Team will all want to be in on this. And Nightwing…" He was Wally's best friend in the world. She knew that she should tell him… but… not here. "Um…"

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Never mind, it's nothing. I'm due for a trip back to Palo Alto once we get back. We can talk later," she explained, ignoring Nightwing's concern.

"Are you sure?" he pressed.

"Yeah. Totally," she lied. "Now is not the time." She knew that she hadn't convinced her friend, but he decided not to push any harder. She berated herself for putting off revealing her secret again. It's not like everyone isn't going to find out soon, she thought. "Listen, swing by my place tonight. I'll make dinner, just like old times. See if Barbara can come."

The pair came to a stop outside the administrative offices.

"Sure, I'll be there," Nightwing answered. "Looks like we're here. Let's talk to Kaldur."


	5. Chapter 5: From the Ashes

Chapter 5: From the Ashes

Barbara listened as the bio-ship made the final preparations for landing in Happy Harbor. They would reach the empty warehouse serving as a hanger any minute now. From there it was a short walk to the makeshift living facilities the Team had been occupying for a few months.

~break~

She could still see the dust rising from the collapsed garage in her mind. Psimon and his thugs didn't stay to see the fruits of their labor. Barbara felt that it might have been easier to cope if she had a target to pummel. Jason and Wally, now Tim and Garfield. They had lost too many friends already.

Wonder Girl was frantically shoving huge slabs of stone aside, desperately trying to get to their friends. Batgirl knew that it was too late. No one could have survived the wreckage in front of her. Each tier had crumbled into dozens of chunks ranging in size anywhere up to ten feet in diameter.

"Wonder Girl, stop!" Miss Martian shouted. She didn't even slow down. She probably didn't even notice that there were other people still around her. M'gann had to physically grab her before the Amazonian woman realized what she was saying. "Robin isn't conscious, but he's still alive! I can feel his mind underneath all of this in the psychic link. We can't risk an uncontrolled shift."

"Some kind of cavern must have formed while the rest of the garage collapsed around it," Batgirl speculated. Beta squad needed leadership right now if they were going to rescue their trapped friends. She had to put aside all the panicky emotions gnawing at her for Tim's sake. She switched back to communicating over the link. _Miss Martian, can you go scouting to see what we're working with? _

Batgirl watched the Martian woman become intangible and sink into the debris. Wonder Girl shifted nervously, unsure of what to do next. Each second felt like an hour when there was nothing to do but wait. M'gann emerged again within a few moments.

_There's some kind of black energy field surrounding all three of them. It's like fiery shadows are holding back the rubble. I couldn't phase through it, at least not easily, _the Martian explained. _Psimon's energies on the mental plane are the closest thing I can compare it to._

_Guys? M'gann, is that you? _interrupted a young voice in their minds.

_Garfield! _cried Miss Martian. _Are you okay?_

_Beast Boy, report. What's the situation down there? _added Batgirl.

_Um, I'm fine. I've got Robin beside me in here. He took a blow to the head from falling rock, but he's starting to come to now, _explained Beast Boy. _And I think we've found out why the Bialyans were after the girl. She's the reason we're still alive. She's gone into some kind of trance to keep up the barrier around us. Her eyes have lost all their color, and as far as I can tell, she's levitating a few inches in the air. Wait, she's saying something. Hold on._

Batgirl pondered their situation. Anyone strong enough to hold back that much weight was a force to be reckoned with. The Light was always looking for new resources to exploit. It wouldn't even be the first time that Bialya had stepped in to gain specialized agents. Queen Bee had tried to acquire members of the Team for herself five years ago.

Beast Boy interrupted her thoughts. _Okay, here's the plan. Do you see the two big slabs directly above us?_

_Yes, we have a visual, _Batgirl responded.

_Okay, if Wonder Girl and Miss Martian can keep those slabs from falling for a few seconds, she says she can get us out of here._

The slabs in question were leaning against each other like a house of cards. Wonder Girl gripped one of them, her fingers digging deep into the cement to be sure she didn't lose her grip. Meanwhile Miss Martian landed near Batgirl so she could focus all of her attention on maintaining her telekinetic hold on the other piece.

_Are you ready in there? _Batgirl asked Beast Boy.

_Yeah, in three, two, one. NOW! _he said.

Batgirl watched as both her friends strained against the enormous weights. She felt a quiet rumble underneath her feet. The next second, a phoenix of black shadowy fire exploded from the Earth before her, showering them with pebbles and dust. It spread its wings over at least twelve feet and dissolved away before the dust settled again. The three people previously trapped underground were left in its wake. Wonder Girl and Miss Martian were finally able to release the slabs of concrete with a booming thunder.

"Robin," Wonder Girl said as she rushed to his side and lifted him into a bear hug.

Beast Boy was supporting the girl that saved him on his shoulder. She looked as if she had just finished sprinting a mile, her breathing labored.

"Who_ are_ you people?" she asked wearily. Unfortunately, no one was able to answer her before she passed out, her head drooping down to her chest.

"Come on, Beta. Let's get back to headquarters," said Batgirl.


	6. Chapter 6: Make Yourself at Home

Chapter 6: Make Yourself at Home

The jolt of landing brought Batgirl's thoughts back to the present. The girl had pulled her legs to her chin. She was sitting sideways in her chair, still asleep. Batgirl wondered how long it had been since the girl had had a full night's rest. Living on the run, there was no way to guess. She had awoken when they were over the Atlantic, but they had assured her that she was safe and that they could talk when they landed. The only information they learned about her during the flight was her name. Raven.

Batgirl also noticed that Beast Boy had stolen glances at the girl every few minutes while they were traveling. The young teenager got up to shake the girl awake. "Hey, wake up," urged Beast Boy shaking her shoulder. "Wake up, we're here. Come on, I'll show you your new room!" The girl awoke with a startle, but relaxed when she recognized the green skinned boy.

The group took the stairs to a hatch in the floor of the building. The hatch led to a rarely inspected utility tunnel for the town's power and water supply. The temporary facility was a short walk from there.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Beast Boy bragged to Raven. "We've got our own secret tunnel to the…the…" he frowned. "Hey, we need to think up a really cool name for the old gym we converted."

"How about Beast Boy's Monkey House of Solitude?" teased Robin. "Come for the sleep, and leave for the smell."

"Um, close, but how about not," snarked Beast Boy. "Hmm, maybe the Jungle Gym. Or maybe Camp Justice. I'll keep thinking about it." He rubbed his chin in the exaggerated style that only Garfield could pull off.

Batgirl grinned. For Robin, fooling around like an annoying younger brother was a good sign. If he was feeling energetic enough to kid around with Beast Boy, his injuries must not be bothering him too much. Barbara knew that head trauma could be serious, but it seemed like they lucked out again.

"Ugh, you know what? I never got my souvenir from this mission," remarked Beast Boy.

"Um, hello Beast Boy," said M'gann smiling and gesturing towards Raven. "Don't you think she counts? You two can take a picture together when we get there."

"Oh yeah, awesome!" he replied. "Come on, Raven. We've got to get our picture taken together." He grabbed her hand and pulled the girl along behind him much to her dismay.

Miss Martian met Batgirl's eyes. _How much do you think we can trust her?_ she asked privately.

_I'm not sure yet. Did you see the bird erupt from the ground? It was almost like watching Tye Longshadow's energy projection, but she has enough control to shape it into different forms. She's clearly powerful. We have to be careful. We still know hardly anything about her. Where are her loyalties? How did the Bialyans find her? Where did she get her powers? We need answers before we can extend too much of our trust. Are you up for a mind reading? _Batgirl questioned.

_Yes, I can do it. I don't like it. But it's necessary, _she replied.

They continued down the tunnel, finally catching up with Beast Boy. Somehow the girl had convinced him to return to a normal pace. Batgirl said, "Raven, before you get too far—"

"You don't trust me, and you want to ask me some questions," Raven interrupted.

"Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but yes," Batgirl replied. "We can't be too careful. Our Team was originally formed from several Justice League sidekicks. Since then it has grown into a way to help train new Justice League members. We've made plenty of enemies along the way, including the people who were chasing you in Egypt. We would like for you to allow Miss Martian to read your mind."

The girl winced in fear. "That might not be wise. My mind is not as…safe as the minds of others. I am not a native of Earth. In fact, I have only been on your world for three days. Most of that was spent running from the people you fought. Somehow, the man with the pale skin and strange head was able to sense my presence across vast distances."

"His name is Psimon," Miss Martian supplied. "He usually works at the behest of a woman named Queen Bee, one of the leaders of an evil organization called the Light. He has strong psychic powers, but we don't know how he developed them. I've fought him on the mental plane several times."

"If you're not from Earth, where are you from?" Batgirl questioned.

"I have lived my whole life in a city called Azaroth, a place of great magic and great peace," Raven explained. "If the universe was a skyscraper, with each world being a different floor, Azaroth would be the elevator. It's both connected to and separate from each plane. Its residents have taken on the responsibility to watch and record the important cosmic events throughout time and space. I left to escape the prejudices that haunt me there. The people of Azaroth are afraid of my powers. When Psimon first found me, he attempted to force his way into my mind. My inner demons… took offense to the intrusion. They fought back. He did not attempt it again." She paused, allowing them to process the information. "If you are willing to take the risk, Martian, I am willing to allow you to scan my mind for treachery. As long as you agree to keep my secrets, I will try to protect you from the landscape of my mind."

"I accept your conditions, Raven," M'gann replied. "Let's get started."

Batgirl watched as both women sat cross-legged on the floor of the tunnel across from each other. Their eyes grew vacant, and sweat shown on M'gann's forehead. Seconds turned into minutes as they waited. The neon bulbs lighting their way seemed to dim and flicker as the two women continued their psychic embrace. Suddenly Raven's cloak fluttered back and the shadowy bird form erupted from beneath to engulf the girl. The bird's wings swept forward to surround Miss Martian as well. Batgirl was unsure of what to do.

Almost as soon as it appeared, the shadowy bird vanished again. Miss Martian rose with a gasp mumbling about fire and something about antlers. "You don't exaggerate, do you?" the Martian asked as she recovered.

"In my experience, it is rarely helpful," Raven countered. After everything, the girl seemed relieved. "Have I earned your trust now?"

Miss Martian nodded and gave a weary smile. "Yes. I can tell that you mean us no harm. On behalf of the Team, I would like to welcome you to the Jungle Gym or the Monkey House of Solitude or whatever we're going to call this place. We would like for you to stay until we can figure out how to keep you safe." She motioned with her hand. "Right this way."

After a few more yards down the tunnel, the group climbed a ladder leading to the closed-down gym that a substantial portion of the Team called home. The gym's previous owner had conveniently neglected to pay taxes long enough that the city seized the property. Fortunately for the Team, they had some friends in local government that helped them purchase the building anonymously. There were already locker room facilities in place as well as a small kitchen area that used to house a smoothie shop. Beyond that, they just did some basic remodeling to make the place a little more comfortable. Between Mal, Sphere, and herself they were surprisingly handy.

"Pretty cool, huh!" exclaimed Beast Boy to Raven. "It's not as nice as Mount Justice was, but it's still better than the place we had in Blüdhaven. Zatanna even came by and warded it to be extra hard to find. Look over here! Mal put some extra desks in the upstairs if you need somewhere quiet to study. We can play video games if you want, but fair warning, I'm pretty good if I do say so myself. The locker rooms are down that hallway, and the women's bunks are behind that door." He lifted his palm and said in a false whisper, "M'gann says no boys are allowed back there, but I think she'll make an exception for me to show you around. That rule is mostly for…" The young teen looked left and right in confusion. "Wait, where did Robin and Wonder Girl go?"

Batgirl smiled. _Well M'gann, it looks like Tim may get us a Stealther Girl after all,_ commented Batgirl.

_I'll be sure to tell Karen, _M'gann replied with a knowing grin at the inside joke. "Beast Boy, will you help Raven get settled in? Find her some food and some spare clothes."

Batgirl stopped paying attention to Beast Boys excited ramblings as he led Raven away. She was more concerned with the pattering of bare feet coming from the locker room hallway. Dick stood there in nothing but a short towel and his dark sunglasses. It took Barbara a moment to realize that she was staring at his abs. It wasn't like she hadn't seen them before, and in much closer detail, she told herself. Still, one more peek shouldn't kill me, she thought. M'gann looked at her, reading her mind, not with her Martian abilities, but with everyday powers of perception when a gorgeous half-naked man walks into a room full of women. It only took her half a heartbeat longer to realize something was odd about Dick's appearance. Something in the way he held himself. He wasn't brooding any more. There was a fire of purpose in the way he held himself. Dick had a clear goal where he had only a veiled despair for the past few weeks.

"I'm glad you're here," Dick started. "Alpha squad just got back from Oa about an hour ago. Who's the new girl?"

"She's the reason Psimon and the others were rooting around in Egypt. She's got some extreme powers, and they wanted to kidnap her. Why are you showering in the Team's locker room instead of your apartment in Blüdhaven?" Batgirl countered.

"I don't have to pay the water bill here," he joked. "Actually, I'm supposed to be in Palo Alto for dinner with Artemis tonight, but I wanted to see if I could catch anybody here first. Have you talked to Kaldur yet?" he asked.

Both Batgirl and Miss Martian shook their heads.

He continued, "It's good news. Well, it's at least hopeful news. Adam Strange is working on getting the zeta-shield to full capacity now."

"Isn't learning how to get the zeta-shield back up the whole reason to talk to the Reach?" asked M'gann. "How is that not completely good news?"

"That part went well, but there's more," Dick answered. "According to the Reach scientist, somehow the magnetic field disruptor interacted with the zeta-shield and Wally's speed to cause something called a delayed teleportation reaction."

"Wait, what does that mean?" said Batgirl.

"It means that the blasts that kept hitting Wally weren't fatal by themselves," said Dick.

"You mean Wally wasn't just vaporized at the north pole?" demanded M'gann.

"No, he's out there somewhere. Some outside party predicted the possibility of a teleportation and made moves to direct it to…somewhere," he explained. "Unfortunately they said there was no way to calculate where he went after so much time has passed."

"But that gets us a starting place!" cried Batgirl. "There are only so many groups that would even know enough physics to understand the possibility of teleportation, much less be able to direct it without arousing suspicion."

"Exactly my thoughts," Dick agreed. "But that means that we are going up against somebody in the big leagues. Somebody extremely dangerous."

Silence loomed among the three heroes. Batgirl felt overwhelmed and honestly, a little bit afraid. Dick was pinning so much hope on this. If they came up with nothing, he'd get crushed all over again.

In that moment, Beast Boy was concluding his tour with Raven. "Let's get something to eat. I'm sure you're starving, Raven." The pair appeared in the door of the women's area, Beast Boy in his typical monkey form. "Dude! There are girls here," he complained with his hands blocking his view and his tail covering Raven's eyes. "Go put some clothes on, jeez."

"Um," Dick mumbled finally noticing his lack of attire. "I think I'll do that now." He walked through the door for the men's bunks and shut the door behind him. Beast Boy and Raven continued to the kitchen while Batgirl and Miss Martian held back their own laughter.

Barbara was considering a shower of her own before she submitted her mission report when the men's door reopened. Dick had a mischievous smirk on his face as he gently pushed Robin and Wonder Girl out of the room. Miss Martian scowled at the couple as they wore guilty grins and disheveled hair.

Wonder Girl grabbed her elbow behind her back. "Um, good mission guys. I think I'd better get started on that history essay for school. Wouldn't want to procrastinate," she stammered as she hurried up the stairs to the empty study room.

"So…" asked Robin scratching the back of his neck. It was cute the way he copied some of Dick's nervous tics. She wondered if he even realized it. "Somebody wanna catch me up on why Nightwing is here?" asked Robin.

"Come on Boy Wonder," teased Batgirl pushing the boy down the hallway and away from M'gann's glare. "I'll explain the good news to you in a minute. Right now, I think a cold shower will do you good." Robin went along with Batgirl's suggestion and quickly shuffled down the locker room hall. She had to hand it to him. He knew when to take advantage of an excuse to leave.

_Some days I regret accepting when the League asked me to be den mother here,_ Miss Martian complained with a roll of her eyes. _I feel like I'm stranded in an ocean of hormones._

_From what I hear, you and Conner weren't that different once you got going, _Batgirl countered. _ And I remember firsthand that you and La'gaan weren't nearly as discreet as those two._ She winked. _Cut them some slack M'gann._

_You're probably right,_ she sighed. _It feels different when you're the one in charge, though. I can't wait until the Titan Foundation finishes their big project, and Red Tornado can take over again. _The Martian girl made her way to the stairs. _I'm going to go do the mission report and make sure Conner has gotten the message about Wally. Then I'm going to bed. _

_I don't blame you M'gann. You did the lion's share of the flying this mission. Staying alert for such a long stretch of time can really take it out of you. Thanks for calling Conner. I'm sure he would want to know as soon as possible. See you in the morning,_ Batgirl replied.

_Goodnight,_ answered the Martian woman as she walked towards the communication room up the stairs.

Batgirl went to change into the spare set of civilian clothes she brought along before they left for Egypt. She tugged on a pair of black jeans and a white hoodie with black sleeves and purple trim. When she came out of the women's bedroom, Dick had finished getting dressed. He was sitting on the couch in a black polo shirt and jeans.

"Didn't you say you were going to have dinner with Artemis?" she asked sitting beside him on the couch. His fingers intertwined with hers without either of them thinking about it.

"Yeah, I should leave within the next hour. She asked if you wanted to come, too. We can make it like old times," he answered.

"I really miss having the four of us being able to hang out. Artemis and Wally, you and me. We had a blast. Even if you are a dog, you're a good dog." She shoved him playfully in the shoulder. "I miss that. I miss you. You know we're going to find some way to figure out where he is, don't you?" she asked.

"I know. I just wish I had a way to start looking right now. It will only get harder as time passes. Sorry Babs, for the way I've been acting since…you know."

"You don't have to apologize. I'm glad things are turning around now. We were all worried about you."

"I know. Running away was a stupid plan, and I wouldn't listen when my friends tried to tell me so." He brought up their joined hands and kissed the flesh between her index finger and thumb. "Thanks for not stopping until it sank in."

The pair heard a clangor of pots and pans from the kitchen, breaking the moment Barbara and Dick were sharing. They saw Raven ease out the doorway into the main area.

"Raven, why don't you come sit with us?" Barbara called. The girl took a seat on the loveseat opposite the couch.

"Beast Boy says he's going to make me tofu surprise. Something about it being his specialty," informed Raven.

Beast Boy took after his adopted sister when it came to enthusiasm in the kitchen. Unfortunately, enthusiasm didn't always translate to something edible. She hoped he wouldn't get embarrassed in front of the cute girl he had given so much of his attention.

"Oh, I'm sure you're in for a…treat," stammered Dick as Barbara elbowed his ribs.

"Tell us about where you're from," asked Barbara changing the subject.

Raven's eyes grew distant as she recalled the memories of her home. "The city is beautiful. You lose count of the number of soaring marble towers. They have libraries without equal," she answered.

"So, why leave and come here?" said Dick.

"It's…complicated," replied Raven, obviously uncomfortable with sharing too much personal information. "The people of Azaroth don't accept change easily. They are afraid of my potential, and after so many years, I needed to get away from it all. To go to a place where no one knew who I was. What I am."

Silence lingered among them. Barbara didn't know how to respond, and Raven didn't seem inclined to offer more information. Barbara acutely felt the young girl's sad gaze fall on them.

"You have lost something important," she stated.

Dick cast a confused glance towards Barbara wondering how much the girl knew about Wally. Beast Boy's constant narration would have made it hard for her to eavesdrop on their earlier conversation.

"I'm not reading your minds," she added quickly, sensing their discomfort. "At least not your specific thoughts. I have the ability to read the emotions of the people around me. I noticed a sense of loss on the ship." She looked toward Dick. "And you, you have an even deeper feeling of loss, but also an ember of hope." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I can't really control how much I sense from the people around me. Sometimes it gets…distracting."

Barbara decided to explain the situation to the girl. "A few weeks ago, we thought one of our friends had died in the line of duty. We found out today that that isn't the case. Instead of being dead, he is lost, and we have very little information to help find him."

Raven looked down at the floor, clearly struggling with a conflict of emotions. "I never got the chance to properly thank you for saving me."

"There's no need," Barbara assured her. "It's our job to try to help as many people as possible, especially when we can counter the people that use their gifts for evil."

"Just because not everyone can thank you doesn't mean that you don't deserve it," replied Raven. "I…I think I might be able to help you. Without you, I would be locked in some dungeon, or worse. I want to help you." Her eyes still betrayed her nervousness. "I know someone that might be able to find your friend."


	7. Chapter 7: Memories

Chapter 7: Memories

Dick felt Barbara squeeze his chest as they leaned against a particularly sharp turn in his motorcycle. It hadn't taken them long to spread the news of Raven's offer to M'gann, Kaldur, and the rest of the available Team members. He and Barbara took a zeta-tube to the west coast so they could tell Artemis in person. The Star City platform was less than an hour drive away from Artemis's home in Palo Alto. A feeling of bemused nostalgia swept over Dick as his bike followed the familiar roads with Barbara's comfortable weight at his back. Artemis was right when she said it would be like old times. It felt just like when he and Barbara had a day off and would go over to Palo Alto to hang out and play board games or watch a movie together. How many months ago had that really been?

They parked in their usual spot outside Artemis's place as dusk fell. The flicker of lights behind a closed curtain told him that the elderly couple that they were renting the upstairs apartment from was watching television. Dick took off his helmet and held it under his arm.

"Here, hold this for a minute," asked Barbara handing him the backpack she wore while pulling off her own helmet. She rearranged her hair that had been blown out of place from the wind. He always liked Barbara's hair in a loose bun. Then again, she didn't have a way to fix her hair that he didn't like. He smiled to himself. There was just something about redheads.

"Okay, let's go tell Artemis," she said taking back the backpack.

"Lead the way, Babs."

Dick followed the redhead up the wooden steps to their friend's door while enjoying the view the steep staircase afforded him. She knocked, and they heard rustling inside. Artemis opened the door and hugged both her friends.

"Come on in guys. Have a seat," she welcomed them with a sad smile. She was wearing one of Wally's old high school jerseys. It hung loose on her. "Dinner is almost ready."

The pair stepped through the door and into the living room. Dick noticed the enticing aroma of Artemis's cooking as he sank down on the large green bean bag beside the worn couch. At the same time, their bulldog Nelson walked out of the bedroom to greet them. Dick scratched the dog behind the ears.

"Dinner smells fantastic, Artemis," commented Barbara.

"It's called pho," Artemis explained. "Sort of like a beef and noodle soup. It's the recipe my grandfather taught my mother before she moved to the United States. It's been forever since I last made it, so no guarantees about what it's going to taste like," she joked.

Artemis walked back into the kitchen to stir the pot of soup. For a rental place, their kitchen was huge and fully stocked. Dick guessed that it was one of the main reasons that convinced Wally to call it home when they both got accepted into Stanford.

"Artemis, do you have some glasses?" Dick pulled a wine bottle out of the backpack. "We ran into Ollie on the way here, and he gave us this to celebrate. We just had to promise that we wouldn't tell anyone else who gave it to us."

"That has Ollie written all over it. Dinah is going to lecture him about giving alcohol to minors when she finds out. Here," Artemis replied carrying two glasses in her left hand to the living room. "But I just poured this." She indicated the glass of cola in her right hand. "You two go ahead." Artemis sat down on the end of the couch beside Barbara as she poured a glass for herself and Dick. "So I guess Dick told you the good news on Alpha's end. How did Beta fare?"

"That's actually something that we wanted to talk to you about, Artemis," Dick interrupted.

Barbara recounted the tale of rescuing Raven from Egypt.

"So this girl was able to protect herself and two other people from a collapsed building, and she can shrug off Psimon's mental assaults?" asked Artemis. "She's tough."

"Combine that with her ability to sense people's emotions," agreed Barbara. "For our sakes, I'm glad Queen Bee never got her under her control."

"First we get Bart traveling through time and now a twelve year old girl coming from another dimension," Artemis complained. "We are such a magnet for weirdness. Why is it that all the people who make these epic one-way trips have barely started puberty?"

"I never thought about it like that before," commented Barbara with a laugh.

"You got one thing wrong, though," said Dick. "For Raven, the trip isn't one way."

Artemis cocked her head in confusion. She asked, "So what does that mean? Does Azaroth need us to come save the day?"

"Not exactly," replied Dick. "Raven says that there is someone on Azaroth that may be able to help us find Wally."

Artemis choked on the cola she had been drinking. She coughed trying to clear the liquid from her lungs.

"Kaldur is putting together the logistics to travel to Azaroth as we speak," continued Dick. "We should be ready to leave late tomorrow morning."

"I'm there," stated Artemis looking directly into Barbara's eyes.

Dick fully expected Artemis to come with them to find Wally. She deserved to be there more than anyone. He didn't understand why she felt the need to emphasize the fact to Barbara, though. They were practically best friends, and Barbara knew how effective that Artemis could be in dangerous situations. Why would she object to her being there? The women were having a silent argument between themselves through pointed looks and body language. Artemis got up to stir the pho again.

"This is almost ready," she said with her back turned to them. "Go ahead and grab some bowls."

Dick could tell that Artemis wasn't telling him something. She was acting exactly like on Oa before they made their report to Kaldur. "I'll be right there," he said as he made his way to the bathroom. The women continued their argument in hushed whispers when he shut the door behind him.

After he had finished, Dick turned to the sink to wash his hands and noticed an opened pink box in the trash can. Suddenly, everything clicked together in his mind. He fished the box from the garbage and brought it back to the kitchen. The women stopped talking as soon as he walked back.

"How long have you known?" Dick questioned Artemis. He held up the empty box of pregnancy tests to show Artemis.

"I'm still going with all of you. It doesn't change anything about that," asserted Artemis with steel in her eyes. "I found out I was pregnant about a month and a half ago." She glanced at the couch and then quickly looked away. "It happened after the Reach's summit with the Light," she continued. "We were so excited to be with each other again. To be safe together. It had been months since we had seen each other beyond a hurried intel exchange or in a battle. We could barely keep our hands off each other by the time we got back here." Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose and blushed. "We found out that condoms aren't designed to go over a certain speed."

"So what's…" asked Dick pointing between Barbara and Artemis.

"After the night that…" Artemis began. She swallowed. "I just needed something familiar in my life to hold onto. I couldn't handle coming back here alone every night while my friends were saving the world. I told Kaldur and Barbara because as Team leaders they deserved to know. They agreed to keep my secret in exchange for only assigning me non-combat missions."

"Artemis," pleaded Barbara, "you know how dangerous going to Azaroth could be for your baby. Let us go find him."

"No. I'm going with you to find Wally. I'm not sitting this one out. That's final. Stop trying to convince me," she answered.

Barbara threw up her hands. "Fine," she relented. "You can go with us to Azaroth, but once we find out where Wally is, we have this argument again."

"That's all I'm asking," agreed Artemis as she turned back to her soup and grabbed a ladle. She handed a bowl to Dick. "I'm hungry. Let's eat."


	8. Chapter 8: Blood in the Desert

Chapter 8: Blood in the Desert

"I've got a bad feeling about this," complained Wonder Girl. "We just finished getting our butts kicked here. Tell me again why we need to come back for Round Two?"

Nightwing noticed Raven's shoulders hunch as the girl subconsciously tried to make herself less noticeable in the bio-ship.

"As Raven explained," answered Aqualad, "traveling to Azaroth is both difficult and dangerous. Attempting the portal in an area that resonates with Raven's city gives us the greatest chance for success. Alexandria meets our needs."

"That's probably the reason that Raven appeared here in the first place," added Nightwing. "If Azaroth is some sort of cosmic diary, an old library is going to feel the closest to home." Nightwing turned to check the ship's scanners. "You can read in the history books that the original Library of Alexandria burned down a little over two millennia ago. What a lot of people don't know is that the texts recovered from the fire were secretly stored in an underground vault a few miles away. That vault is our destination."

"Besides, you heard Batgirl," Beast Boy chimed in, "Psimon and his goons wouldn't have stayed here once they thought Raven was out of the picture. Egypt hasn't sent any more distress calls to the League. There's nothing to worry about. Plus, even if somebody comes looking for trouble, we've brought extra special backup this time," he said, pointing his thumb over his right shoulder toward the Super cycle flying close beside them.

Nightwing chose to not point out a fatal flaw in Beast Boy's logic. With all the news coverage that the parking garage collapse had gotten, Psimon and his gang knew that no one had died, including Raven. Now that she was back in Egypt and away from Zatanna's concealment spell, it was a perfect opportunity for their enemies to try something. He hoped their backup would be enough to make them change their minds.

"Miss Martian, please raise the psychic link," requested Aqualad. "We are nearing the site."

_Psychic link going up,_ replied M'gann.

_Thank you. Everyone please report, _continued Aqualad. The Team members in the Super Cycle chimed in first.

_Superboy, here._

_Batgirl, here._

_Robin, here._

_Blue Beetle, here._

_Tigress, here._

Nightwing and the five others flying in the bio-ship with him followed suit.

_Good,_ said Aqualad. _From Raven's information, we cannot confirm how deeply the vault is buried. Batgirl, Tigress, and I will accompany Raven to prepare to open the portal. As a precaution Superboy, Blue Beetle, Robin, and Beast Boy are on surveillance. We do not want any surprises while we are underground. The rest of you are to standby to assist where necessary. If the psychic link is dropped, follow Nightwing's lead._

Within minutes, Nightwing and his teammates dropped to the ground. The surveillance team set out immediately to sweep for threats while the standby team followed the rest to the tunnel entrance. Nightwing's instincts told him that danger was near. Every sound and every shadow seemed menacing. He didn't know if he was rusty, paranoid, neither, or some combination of all three, but for him, the sooner they could leave, the better.

They approached a rundown sand colored building. Yellow caution tape covered the windows and doors on the ground floor. He didn't know why anyone bothered. The entire eastern wall of the building was missing. Nightwing guessed from the scorch marks that there had been a fire there recently. Aqualad looked to Raven for confirmation on the location. The girl closed her eyes and focused her senses on their surroundings. To Nightwing, it almost looked like the girl was just taking a deep breath. Somehow inhaling the area's essence.

_I remember this place. It feels…like Azaroth. Um, it's hard to explain. The vault is below_, stammered Raven.

The group made their way into the building through the gaping hole. Having three walls around him didn't help Nightwing to shed the sneaking suspicion that they were being watched. He tried to flip a light switch, but someone had already cut power to the building. To compensate, Batgirl cracked several glow sticks. She handed one to each of them and scattered the rest about the room with a flick of her wrist. A green chemical glow filled the area, providing light but also deepening the shadows lurking in corners. The center of the floor had a round platform about six feet in diameter, but otherwise the building was empty.

_Where is the tunnel entrance? _asked Miss Martian.

Raven extended her hand to the dais in the center of the room. _Stand back_.

Black shadowy fire engulfed Raven's outstretched palm in a sphere. Similar energy surrounded the entire platform. With a grinding sound, the cylinder of solid stone slowly began to rise from the floor. It revealed a sloping tunnel after a few seconds. Raven dropped the slab aside with a loud boom.

_We have found the vault,_ announced Aqualad. _Surveillance team, are we clear?_

_Nothing here, _said Superboy. _I haven't seen or heard anything unusual._

Dick noticed a silhouette on the adjacent rooftop raising a small pair of binoculars. _It's about as quiet as we could hope for,_ agreed Robin.

_Then boys and girls, it's time to follow the white rabbit. Remember to avoid strange foods and royal croquet games,_ quipped Batgirl.

Aqualad jumped into the hole first, turning around to offer a helping hand to Raven, Tigress, and Batgirl. The four walked further underground and were soon out of Nightwing's sight. Several minutes passed, and Dick still couldn't calm his nerves. What was wrong with him tonight? He began to pace back and forth.

_Heads up people,_ alerted Superboy. _We've got Devastation and some soldiers coming straight for us in a line of jeeps. What's our move?_

Nightwing wasn't sure whether to be nervous about the upcoming fight or relieved that he had an actual problem to focus his attention. At least they had enough manpower to be confident that Devastation could be subdued.

_Blue, Superboy, try to buy us some time,_ commanded Nightwing. _How long until the portal is ready Kaldur?_

_We will require several more minutes. Raven has begun her trance to open the portal. Once it opens, it will only stay open for twelve seconds before everything in the circle disappears to Azaroth. Any delay you can provide against the Bialyans would be helpful, _answered Aqualad.

_At least she's out in the open this time, _remarked Miss Martian. _They ambushed us through a brick wall yesterday._

Robin lifted his binoculars to his eyes again. _I've got a visual on Devastation. She's coming in fast with a dozen goons, but Blue and Superboy should be able to intercept her before she gets too close._

A nagging suspicion tugged at Nightwing's attention. Miss Martian was right. Why go for the obvious attack when there were so many of them on high alert? And where were the rest of the ones that had attacked the day before? The answer clicked in his mind. _Devastation is the distraction,_ warned Nightwing. _They're going to come at us from a different angle. _He heard Wonder Girl shift behind him. Nightwing glanced up at Robin's rooftop perch. A little red dot situated on his torso confirmed his suspicions. _Robin, get DOWN!_

Time around him slowed to a crawl. The retort of a sniper rifle echoed through the night sky. Not again, he thought. The sound was followed by another sharper peal nearby. Wonder Girl's bracelets were the only reason that Robin still had the correct number of holes in his body. She hovered in front of him protectively. Nightwing had never been prouder of the Amazon.

_In case anyone wasn't aware, they've got at least one sniper,_ commented Robin after a heartbeat. _I recommend anyone not bulletproof find some cover._

Nightwing quickly heeded his adopted brother's advice. His back leaned against one of the building's remaining walls while drawing his eskrima sticks. They buzzed to life with a crackle of electricity. He watched Robin's silhouette vanish from its earlier position above.

_Batgirl and I are returning to the surface while Tigress guards Raven, _informed Aqualad. _Miss Martian, go stealth and be ready._

Superboy said, _Some of the soldiers with Devastation got past us_. _They're coming your way fast._

_Don't worry. We're ready for them,_ replied Nightwing.

Four men with dark masked uniforms and assault rifles appeared in the gap in the wall. Unfortunately for them, Nightwing was waiting. The first one went down with an electrified swipe to his ankle followed by the hero's knee to his face as he fell. The momentum led him straight into a swift parry to disrupt the next two men's aim and a flurry of strikes to discourage further hostility. The last soldier was more prepared. Nightwing rolled left to avoid the hornet sound of incoming bullets and threw a birdarang as a distraction to buy himself some time to recover. Suddenly, a golden cord lashed around the man. Wonder Girl slammed him into one of the building's remaining walls, leaving large cracks behind.

_Thanks, Cassie._

_Don't mention it, boss_, she replied proudly._ Always happy to help a bird in trouble._

As he took cover to catch his breath, Nightwing was showered with dust when Blue Beetle crashed through the wall above his shoulder. The hero groaned and tried to get up again, but fell down almost immediately. Nightwing rushed forward to drag his friend into the tunnel for protection while he recovered his strength. Meanwhile, Wonder Girl deflected two more shots from the sniper. By that time, Aqualad and Batgirl had made it back to the surface. Both of his friends were alert and ready for a fight. The three of them leapt out of the tunnel and kept moving.

_Wonder Girl, you are with me,_ commanded Aqualad as he drew both of his water bearers. _We need to take Devastation out of the equation quickly. _The girl nodded in agreement. _The rest of you take care of the sniper._

Wonder Girl swooped low and grasped Aqualad under the arms, carrying him away from the sniper's barrage and towards Superboy's loud confrontation with Devastation.

_Any luck on finding the sniper's location? _Nightwing asked Robin.

_Shimmer is the sniper,_ replied Robin. Nightwing could practically hear his teeth grinding. _She keeps moving her position. We've been playing cat and mouse for the past few minutes. It turns out being able to make your own doors is a useful skill in this situation. Head south for two blocks and double back to try to herd her towards me. I'll have a surprise waiting._

_You heard the Boy Wonder,_ teased Batgirl. She gestured to the nearby fire escape. _We'll be better off up higher._

Nightwing glanced to Batgirl to share a private smile. He spoke out loud so others wouldn't overhear on the psychic link. "Maneuver Seven?"

"People are going to catch on if you keep calling it Maneuver Seven," Batgirl whispered.

"What are you talking about? Maneuver Seven is where one team member lifts the other into the air. How could anyone get that confused with something else?" He winked at her, and she started running towards his interlaced fingers. With a surge of effort, He launched her high enough to grab the low rung of the fire escape. Nightwing got his own running start and kicked off the wall to gain enough altitude to grab Batgirl's outstretched arm. Both heroes scampered to the roof and began to make their way around to push Shimmer into Robin's trap. The distance flew by as the heroes ran. After leaping across half a dozen rooftops, they turned back to search for their target.

A flicker of light caught the Batgirl's eyes. Some piece of metal on Shimmer's clothes had reflected the moonlight at just the right moment. She motioned to Nightwing. Shimmer was ducking behind a dumpster in an alley looking for another target. _There she is,_ said Batgirl. _Forget the trap Robin. She hasn't seen us yet. Let's go before she has the chance to get off more shots._

Nightwing nodded. Using all their training from the Batman himself, the pair dropped silently behind the sniper. In a fair fight, Shimmer would have had a difficult time competing against Nightwing and Batgirl at the same time. In an ambush like this, she didn't stand a chance. Nightwing's eskrima sticks knocked her unconscious, and Batgirl took a few moments to get the woman in handcuffs and stuffed inside the dumpster.

_Shimmer is out of the picture for at least a few minutes,_ announced Nightwing.

_Good work,_ said Aqualad. _Devastation has finally gone down as well. I have sent a signal for the League to take them into custody. We should all make our way back to Raven._

~_break~_

They all rushed back to the vault and their greatest hope of finding Kid Flash. Nightwing and Batgirl arrived just as the others walked into the fire damaged building.

"Where's Beast Boy?" asked Robin looking left and right.

Before they could investigate, a sinister chuckle echoed through the air. "I wondered if spending a few extra days here would be worth the risk. Impressive. Very impressive. It seems as though the rumors are true. I won't have to discipline my students for exaggerating their reports."

"So you're the one that's been training Psimon and the rest of Queen Bee's enforcers?" demanded Robin, his brain reverting to the detective mindset under stress.

"Why, yes," replied the voice. "Though Psimon is receiving his own discipline at the moment. He never should have ordered the others to kill his target. Otherwise he wouldn't have missed tonight's festivities. You may call me Brother Blood."

A pale man with white hair stepped out of the shadows. He wore a shirt of deep red scales, dark pants, and a black cloak. The cloak had a white design on the hood reminding Nightwing of the skull of some horrific beast. More importantly, he was dragging their green skinned friend by the ankle.

"Don't worry," he assured them. "Your friend's injuries aren't lethal... yet." He dropped Beast Boy at his feet. "Shall we begin the bargaining phase? You know what I want. Bring me the girl, and you get your little green friend again."

"What makes you think that we won't just kick your ass right now instead?" threatened Batgirl.

"Tsk tsk, it's simple really," he replied drawing a wickedly curved knife from his belt. He knelt down and held the blade to the unconscious boy's throat. "If you refuse, he will die."

Nightwing tensed. They couldn't surrender their chance to find Wally, and whatever he planned on doing with Raven was bound to be terrible. On the other hand, allowing Blood to kill Beast Boy was unthinkable. How could he choose between the chance of getting his best friend back and the life of his teammate? There had to be a way out of this situation.

"Wait," a voice called from the tunnel. "Don't hurt him. I'll go with you." Raven emerged from underground.

"An excellent decision, my dear," the villain replied. "I'm sure in time you will see that this was the right choice." He sheathed the knife with a flourish and pointed to Superboy. "You may come with the girl to collect your comrade."

_I've morphed Raven,_ warned Miss Martian. _Conner, as soon as you get Beast Boy out of the way, I'm going to blast this guy as far away as I can. The rest of you, make a break for the portal. Raven is going to finish the incantation any second now._

The pale man stood and crossed his arms. A victorious sneer was plastered across his face. Superboy walked with the disguised Miss Martian to Brother Blood. When they got within a few feet of him, Superboy ground his teeth. As quick as a serpent, Brother Blood backhanded Miss Martian and sent her flying several yards and into Blue Beetle. The Martian kept enough of her senses to psychically pull Beast Boy out of harm's way. Before Superboy could react, Blood's other hand snapped to his neck in a vicious choke.

"Did you people really believe that I could be fooled so easily?! That I would settle for some imposter?!" He stared deeply into Superboy's eyes, and a silent shudder passed through the half-Kryptonian. Blood released his neck, and Superboy dropped into a crouch. With a roar, Conner lunged and slammed into Wonder Girl, taking them both through the opposite wall.

_Blood has Superboy under some kind of hypnosis!_ said Blue Beetle. He flew through the hole in the wall to help Wonder Girl.

Within moments, all three of them returned, crashing through another portion of the wall. Blue Beetle took the brunt of the force. Nightwing heard him groan in pain. Superboy was the first to stand, followed by Wonder Girl staggering to a dazed crouch ten feet away. The half-Kryptonian picked up the heavy stone cylinder that once concealed the entrance to the vault. He raised it above Blue Beetle's head. There was no way that his armor could protect him from such a massive weight. Sweat dripped from his brow as Superboy fought to regain control before it was too late.

"Superboy stop!" shouted Wonder Girl. She launched herself at his waist intending to tackle him. With a sudden jerk, he used the slab of stone to smash Wonder Girl across the room in midflight. The stone shattered with the impact.

"Cassie!" shouted Robin as he ran to her side, desperately hoping she was okay.

Nightwing stepped in to protect his friends, his eskrima sticks delivering several precise strikes in the span of a few seconds. Electricity crackled with every hit, giving off the distinct scent of ozone around him. He didn't want to hurt Superboy, but he needed to present himself as enough of a threat to ensure that his attention was focused on him and not his fallen friends. It was a risky tactic. If Superboy ever anticipated his attack and got his hands on him, Nightwing would be the one that needed saving.

Meanwhile, Brother Blood had not remained idle. The curved knife was in his hand once more, and Aqualad and Batgirl were double teaming the man. They were both trying to open up a way for the other to land a finishing blow. His knife lashed out to foil every attempt.

_Batgirl, the trap I laid for Shimmer is still ready, _said Robin. _Move Brother Blood twenty feet down the street. _He pulled the unconscious Wonder Girl onto his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

Batgirl rushed her opponent head on, her fist raised behind her ear to deliver a devastating punch. At the last moment, she ducked flat on the ground. The feint worked. Brother Blood was slammed with a jet of water from Aqualad. Robin tripped a signal on his utility belt, and a dozen explosions went off simultaneously around the villain. As the smoke cleared, Blood staggered forward and fell to one knee. "Such insolence!" he shouted in a rage.

Nightwing continued his deadly dance with Superboy, and with every second, the half-Kryptonian got closer to catching him. Nightwing had to change the game if he was going to make it out of this fight.

_What's going on up there? _demanded Tigress. _If you guys don't get down here now, you're going to lose your chance!_

Tigress's message distracted Nightwing just enough. He slipped and fell backwards on a loose rock. Superboy came in to deliver a finishing blow.

"Sorry _ese_," said Blue Beetle as he winced in pain. A bolt of plasma blasted Superboy away. The brainwashed hero moved to return the favor, but Miss Martian caught him in telekinetically in midair. Superboy lashed out in a rage, but couldn't get any traction to continue being a threat.

_I've got him,_ shouted M'gann. _I think I can break Blood's hold on him. Blue, help Aqualad and Batgirl. Blood is weaker at long range._

Blue Beetle nodded and took to the air. Nightwing went to haul Beast Boy to his own shoulder and started running towards the tunnel. He saw Robin ahead of him with Wonder Girl. She hadn't stirred yet. They rounded the last corner and came into a high vaulted chamber. Thousands of dusty scrolls and ancient tomes lined the walls. Raven levitated at the center of the room. A pillar of white light erupted around her. Tigress stepped inside and slowly disappeared.

_The portal just opened!_ warned Nightwing. _Forget Blood, we've got to go now. There are only twelve seconds to get here._

_There's not enough time, _shouted Batgirl. _We'll keep Brother Blood from following you, Nightwing. _

Robin and Wonder Girl walked into the pillar of light. Nightwing had to get to Azaroth to save Wally, but he couldn't abandon his team members. Barbara was still out there fighting. But if he didn't go, he would be abandoning his best friend.

_Go Dick, _said Batgirl. _Bring Wally home._

The last thing Nightwing remembered was walking into the circle of light.

* * *

**A/N: Hi everybody, hope you like the latest installment. I'm a newbie writer, so I went back and tried to fix some mistakes in the earlier chapters. Nothing too big. Anyway, reviews are always nice to read. I'll be working on the next chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9: Dreams and Nightmares

**A/N: Hi everyone, this one lives up to the rating. Hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Dreams and Nightmares

The bright lights overhead hurt Wally's eyes. His mind was still drifting in a haze. It felt like every muscle in his body had been filled with peanut butter. Mmm peanut butter, he thought languidly. I wonder… what's for lunch… Wasn't there something important he was supposed to remember? Something…

The next time Wally gained consciousness, his mind was slightly clearer. There was something about the north pole he should remember. Where am I? His neck wouldn't obey him, but his was able to crack his eyelids. Some sort of room. Ha, brilliant deduction, Wally. Who thought a table was a good place to take a nap, and where are my clothes? The room felt drafty with him clad in only his underwear, and the table was becoming more uncomfortable as each moment passed. A few minutes went by, though he supposed it could have been hours for all he knew. How was a guy supposed to keep up with stuff like that?

His stomach rumbled. Alright Wally, he thought, enough relaxing. Time to get back to work. What was it the ninja lady said in that Tarantino movie? The one where she tried to kill her ninja boyfriend. She wore yellow just like him and carried around a big ass sword. Oh yeah, wiggle your big toe. Let's try that. Okay Wally, wiggle your big toe.

Wally's thoughts were interrupted by the noise of a heavy metal door opening. "Good morning, friend," called a man's voice. "Sorry to keep you waiting for all these weeks. It's true. Your most valuable commodity really is time. Between you recovering from your trip and my hectic schedule…" Wally heard a sinister laugh. "You wouldn't believe how much I've been looking forward to this."

"What?" asked Wally, but it came out closer to something a dog might bark. Had he really been in and out of consciousness for weeks? Artemis was going to be furious. What had happened to him? He was slowly piecing together his most recent memories. The north pole. And…the Reach. In a moment of clarity, he remembered. Those blasts of energy from the Reach doomsday devices kept hitting him. He thought he was done for. That much energy coursing through him should have been lethal. So… what was he doing still alive?

"No questions today, I'm afraid." Wally heard the man fiddling with something across the room. "You'll want to save all your strength for what I've got planned."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? He didn't have time for this. He had to get back to Artemis. She probably thought he was dead. Wally struggled to move his limbs. The man finally stepped into Wally's field of vision. He wore a purple robe and had grey pallid skin. Limp greasy hair hung down his forehead. The tendons in his neck were even more disturbing. Somehow on one side, they had detached themselves from the muscle and become cables of fleshy mass connected to his body only at their endpoints. He began locking down Wally's wrists and ankles with heavy straps. The hero was helpless to prevent it.

"Now," said the man as he selected a glass vial, "this should nullify the effects of my paralytics." Wally felt a sharp sting as the drug was injected into his shoulder. It felt like a bolt of adrenaline coursed through his system. It was the same feeling he got when he hit his top speed. Within seconds, Wally felt like himself again. No more drugs were clouding his thoughts. He tested his muscles against the straps holding him down.

"Idiot," said the man. "I tried to warn you. You'll want to save your strength for later." He began attaching nodes to Wally's skin. "These probes will pick up readings for my experiments," explained the misshapen man.

"Who the hell are you? I'm not going to be your lab rat!" said Wally.

The man dragged a large machine with dozens of arms holding equipment across the room. "And what makes you think you have another option?" he taunted with a maniacal smile across his face. "Let's begin."

A moment of panic held Wally. He struggled against his bonds with renewed vigor as the machine beside him hummed to life. One of its arms inched towards his body making a sound like a dental drill. As soon as it made contact, a lance of pain shot through Wally. No nerve ending in his body was spared. His back arched, and his muscles convulsed. Wally clenched his jaw. He had to fight it. To not give in to the pain. He was determined to not give the man the satisfaction of hearing him scream, but it was too much. A long howl erupted from his throat. The seconds stretched into hours as the machine maintained its assault. He watched flickers of black dance in the edges of his vision where his body was trying to gain reprieve through unconsciousness.

Then, as suddenly as it began, the machine stopped. Wally's throat was dry and raw, and every muscle in his body was clenched, unsure if the pain would return in earnest. The man looked at some numbers on the monitor.

"Hmm, two hundred fifty-six seconds to bring you to the brink. And your vitals are recovering quite nicely, even faster than I anticipated. Not bad for a first run, but I'm sure we can do better." He began to adjust some settings on the monitor. "Oh, where is my mind today? I almost forgot about patient commentary. It's an essential part of making breakthroughs." His maniacal leer returned. "How would you describe your experiences so far?"

Wally lifted his head, struggling to catch his breath. "Fuck. You." If he could have, he would have spit in the man's face.

The man was not amused with his response. "Perhaps you'll be more cooperative in a moment. Activating in five, four, three."

Wally never heard the rest of the countdown. The bastard flubbed it on purpose to allow the machine to catch him by surprise again. Agony poured over his entire body in waves, and he tasted blood in his mouth. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on. He had to do something. Anything. Anything that would make it stop. He had to distract himself from the pain or else he would never survive.

"A-Artemis…" he croaked.

_~break~_

Wally kicked the door to their apartment shut with a bang. His attention was too focused on the blonde in his arms to give any thought to waking the neighbors or their elderly landlords. The nightmare was over. The summit had broken the alliance of the Light and the Reach and foiled their plans. No more secrets. No more lies. No more lonely nights of crying himself to sleep because he was so worried about her. She was here now.

"Promise me, babe," he said, breaking his lips from hers to take a breath, "Promise me that we'll never do anything that stupid ever again."

She stared deeply into his eyes and touched her forehead to his. "Wallace Rudolph West, I'll go through hell and back before I let anything separate us like that again." He could see the truth of her words etched into her face.

"I love you so much, babe," he said.

"I love you too, Wally." She pulled him even closer. "Now," she said, "I seem to remember that you had a decision to make. Something about whether to kill me or kiss me." She gave him a look full of lust. "It's later now, and we're alone."

Wally let his actions be his response. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. Somehow despite months of being stuck in a submarine or worse, out on the surface fighting for her life, she still tasted like honey. He deepened the kiss, coaxing her to part her lips. Their tongues wrestled for dominance. Wally's hands traveled all along Artemis's back and down to grope her butt. He didn't have to open his eyes to know that she was smiling at his boldness. Not to be outdone, Artemis held his neck for a kiss while her other hand snaked into his shorts to grab his bare ass.

Suddenly, even the thin exercise clothes they had grabbed from the Watchtower made too much of a separation between them. He wanted to feel her skin against his again. Her shirt was the first to hit the floor followed quickly by his own. His lips found the spot just beside her collarbone that she loved for him to kiss. A soft moan of pleasure escaped her mouth. It drove him crazy when she did that. He kept at her spot just to remind her how much she meant to him. It left his hands free to fumble with the clasp of her bra. Why did they always make them so difficult? She smiled at his trouble, knowing his thoughts almost as easily as she knew her own. Eventually his fingers remembered the trick.

He cupped one breast with his hand while his mouth explored the other, pausing to gently bite at the nipple until it was stiff and red. Then he made his way back to her lips, savoring the feeling of her topless form pulled tightly against his chest. Artemis held onto his neck as both her legs wrapped around his waist. Wally smiled inwardly. Nobody ever mentioned the acrobatic side benefits of hero work. He could feel her heat against his length. Wally shuffled forward to press her back to the wall. She shook her head and pointed to the couch. Taking the hint, he changed direction.

Artemis allowed her legs to slip down his waist, dragging his boxers halfway down his thighs. His cock sprung back to hit his stomach with an audible slap. "Mm, no fair babe," he stuttered with a dreamy smile.

Artemis kept kissing him. "Hmm, nope," she replied mischievously. Suddenly, her foot found its way behind his ankle. A small push sent him sprawling lengthwise on the couch. He landed with an oomph on his back. He waited for her to continue kissing him, but she had other plans. Before he could react, she had taken him deep into her mouth. He didn't know if he had just forgotten it over the long months she had been undercover or not, but damn she was amazing. Spasms of pleasure were tickling up his spine, and it was all he could do to stay still enough to let her keep working.

"A-ar-Artemis," he warned. He wasn't capable of anything more eloquent at the moment. She crept up to kiss him while her hand sent him over his peak. Wally grabbed her face with both hands and willed all the emotion and love he was feeling into the kiss. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so at peace.

He reached for his abandoned t-shirt to clean up while they both caught their breath. Artemis was staring into his eyes. "Babe, you're so amazing. I never want to let you go," he said, pulling her into a deep kiss.

"I love you too, Baywatch," she responded pulling him close.

"You know what else?"

She raised one eyebrow, unsure of where he was going.

"Turn around is fair play." He disappeared from beneath her in a burst of speed. Within a dozen milliseconds, he made it back from their bedroom and had his girlfriend naked beneath him. Her eyes were still wide in shock. It was wonderful that he could still surprise her after all this time. He found the spot beside her collarbone again while his fingers caressed her heat, gently probing. A little surge of pride filled him as he felt her spasm to his ministrations. After a few moments, he made his way down her torso, pausing generously at her breasts and leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. Artemis gasped when his tongue parted her folds. He made lazy circles around her nub and enjoyed the view as her abs tensed time and time again. Artemis's voice kept getting higher and breathier each time she sucked in a mouthful of air. Watching her like this was the ultimate aphrodisiac. "Mm, W-wally… don't stop," she hissed. When he added his vibrating finger, it sent her over the edge. She let out a cry that was sure to get them a knowing grin from their landlady in the morning. Wally edged up to nuzzle Artemis's neck while she came down from her high.

"Wally, I want you inside me right now."

"Whatever you say, babe." He grinned in anticipation. Eating her out had given him plenty of time and inspiration to recover for round two. He rolled on one of his prizes from their bedroom and returned to kissing her. Slowly, he slipped into her core while he stared deep into her eyes. Her warmth was almost enough to undo him. He paused to give them both a chance to adjust. When he thought he could continue, he began rocking his hips into her.

"Mm, faster," Artemis prompted.

Wally began to pick up speed. Soon they were going faster than they'd ever gone before. He kissed the spot under her ear while she moaned out his name. At some point, Artemis flipped him onto his back. She leaned in close to him while he thrust upwards. He could hear her gasp and moan with each motion. They finished together, each crying out.

Wally tossed the condom aside as Artemis rested her head on his shoulder. Their legs intertwined. "Gotta say, I'm digging the welcome home sex, babe."

She chuckled. "I'd put it in the epic category myself."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and started making tiny circles with his finger. "Babe, with you back, I'm complete again. Actually, scratch that. I feel plete. It's just like complete, but with a little less—Ow! What was that for?"

"Shut up, Wally. No more Robin impressions tonight," she teased.

They both started to doze off on the couch, perfectly content to not move for the next several hours. A quiet buzz brought them back from the brink of sleep. Soon, _Who Let the Dogs Out_ was playing from the floor. Wally lifted his head and saw a faint glow shining through his discarded shorts. "Ugh," he groaned, "seriously, Dick? No way. Not tonight." He let his phone go to voicemail. The whole process repeated in less than a minute. On the fourth call, Wally got frustrated and snatched up the device.

"What can't wait until the morning?" he whined.

He could feel Dick's apologetic shoulder shrug through the phone. "Sorry Wally, I know you just got Artemis back. We have a situation here. It's big. I don't know if we're going to make it out of this one. I need you both."

Dick wouldn't say that unless he really meant it. "Hold on, I'm looking for clothes now."

"Thanks Wally."

"Yeah yeah, don't worry about it. We'll be there in a few minutes."

_~break~_

A final jolt of pain knocked Wally back into reality. The Reach's summit had been weeks ago. Now he didn't know where he was except trapped with a monster.

The man in the robe was storming to the door in a rage. "Don't think we're done, boy," he threatened. "You'll learn respect eventually, and I am going to enjoy being your teacher." He turned his back to Wally.

"You know I don't appreciate interruptions, Barda," he hissed.

Wally noticed a strange looking woman standing in the entrance. She had a build like Wonder Woman, and she wore a headdress that reminded him of a samurai helmet. A father box was clipped to her belt along with a dangerous looking rod near her right hand.

"Desaad, the Master wishes to speak with you. You are to meet him in his chambers immediately."

Wally watched a tinge of fear mix into his tormentor's anger. "Fine. See to it that the prisoner is fitted with an inhibitor collar and taken to a holding cell." He left without waiting for the woman to answer. She stepped towards Wally with one of the rings that would rob him temporarily of his super speed. With a quick snap, it was locked around his neck.

"Gotta tell you, the hospitality around here really sucks," he wheezed. "So, who are you?" The woman didn't acknowledge that she heard him. After several seconds passed, Wally was wondering if she was going to answer him at all.

"This collar is programmed to detonate if you leave the building. Do not attempt to escape," she explained bluntly. The woman moved to undo his straps.

"Hey, what's a guy have to do to get people to tell him what's going on?"

The woman cast a wary eye over her shoulder. She began to speak without making eye contact. "I am one of the Master's elite Furies—a group of warrior women serving as his bodyguards and chief agents. You are a prisoner of Desaad, the greatest scientist on Apokolips and the Master's personal torturer. Come with me."

She gripped his arm and started to lead him out of the room and down a series of hallways. Wally thought about trying to escape, but quickly decided against it. Though not crushing his arm, her fingers were as strong as steel cables. Not to mention after his session with Desaad, they were supporting a significant portion of his weight. Escape wasn't happening right now. Maybe he could pry more information from her. It could be useful if they let their guard down.

"So how does a nice lady like you wind up working in Dr. Frankenstein's fun house?" he asked.

"I volunteered."

A chill went up Wally's spine. He wanted to vomit. What kind of nutjob was he dealing with? "You volunteered?! What, do you get your kicks out of watching people suffer?" he demanded.

The woman's eyes narrowed in sudden anger. Wally wondered if he had gone too far. Even on his best day, he would have been uncertain about fighting her one on one. In his current state, he had every right to be terrified. Her hand brushed past the rod on her belt.

"No." she answered with venom. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Barda pushed Wally into a cramped holding cell. "I will collect you for your next session. Try to get some rest."

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**A/N: I'm always trying to improve my writing. Reviews are welcome guys.**


	10. Chapter 10: The Marble City

Chapter 10: The Marble City

"Quickly," urged Raven in a whisper.

She led them quietly along the soaring ivory bridges and balconies of Azarath. The city was breathtaking, even in the dim lighting. Of the few people that crossed their path, all of them wore cloaks like Raven's. Each time, the group waited in hiding for them to pass. They continued only once the path was clear. The sky above them was too dark to call morning, but at the same time, too bright to call night. Sunrise should be soon, Robin thought. It would make it harder for them to go unnoticed. Then again, considering where they were, terms like that might not even apply here.

As he followed Nightwing carrying the unconscious Beast Boy, Tim felt a lingering unease in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure if it was his body reacting to Raven's teleportation or to their situation. Something was wrong. Raven wasn't telling them the whole story. Why did they have to sneak around in the first place? He already knew that Raven had enough vague issues here to need to leave, but to act as if they were trying to hide a dead body? Her words didn't explain what was happening. Tim was willing to let some things go on faith, especially with M'gann vouching for the girl, but sooner or later, they were going to need a real explanation. He really hoped it was sooner. They had found out the hard way that a mind reading was not a substitute for real trust. The girl had shrugged off Psimon's attack, so clearly she had some psychic chops. She could very well be capable of something subtle enough to trick Miss Martian.

If he was honest with himself, there was another reason Tim was on edge. Cassie. She had finally opened her eyes when they arrived in Azarath, but he could tell that she was trying to bulldoze her way through her injuries. There was a stiffness in the way she held herself that she couldn't hide, especially from him.

"We're almost there," warned Raven. "I just need to speak with a friend that can help us. He lives nearby." At the same time, a green cloaked boy about Tim's age turned the corner in front of them. He fell backwards and let out a yelp of surprise.

"Raven," he said, "where have you been? Do you know what Magistrate Coman is saying now? His men have even been looking everywhere and watching everyone connected to you. You can't go disappearing like this." He noticed her companions, and his face paled. "W-what are they doing here?" He stared at them with a horrified look.

"Theron, I can explain," said Raven. She knelt down and put her hands on the young man's shoulders. "These people saved my life. I want to help them. We have to find someone, and you're the best person I know at scrying."

Tim watched the exchange between the two Azarathians. It was more proof that Raven wasn't giving them the full story. For some reason, Azarath wasn't a place where they would be welcomed. He could only guess as to why. Tim decided to file away the information to sort through later, when he had more pieces of the puzzle.

Raven continued, "But first we need to get off the streets. My friend is hurt. We are going to hide until nightfall. The usual spot. After that, it's like this never happened. Okay?"

Theron didn't answer immediately. His mind was obviously torn. "O-okay. I'll sneak a mirror out tonight after the others leave," he stammered. "You're going to need some food if you're going to be staying… I can bring you some."

Raven hugged her friend. "Thanks Theron. That would be wonderful." He nodded. When he stood, he dashed off in the opposite direction.

Tim glanced at Nightwing and Artemis. They were both confused. Nightwing shifted Beast Boy on his shoulders and silently mouthed, "Not now." They watched the youth leave. One more thing to add to the category of mysteries surrounding their guide.

"This way," called Raven.

The group continued around the corner. After several more stressful minutes of dashing from alcove to alcove, they arrived at their destination. Almost cathedral like in appearance, the colossal structure ahead of them would have been at home in any of Earth's most beautiful cities. Its white towers easily soared over two hundred feet in the air.

With a sharp tug to the handle, the group ducked into an out of the way door. Raven led them along a dark hallway and to another arched doorway. Every step echoed in the vast structure. Beyond the door, the resulting scene took their breath away. The entire central portion of the structure had been transformed into a pristine forest. They could hear the birds just beginning to wake up and start chirping. Tim was no botanist, but he did recognize the birch, hawthorn, and oak trees in front of him. The green oasis promised to hold many more species.

"Welcome to the Aviary," announced Raven. "We should be able to rest here for a while. At least until Theron comes to start scrying for your friend."

Nightwing set Beast Boy down on the ground against a tree. "We need to talk, Raven. What's going on? Why are we hiding from everyone, and why was your friend afraid of us being here?"

Tim heard a rustling in the path ahead of them. His hand darted behind his back to rest on his staff, just in case. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tigress grip the handle on her crossbow. A dark haired woman glided into view. Her blue gown and robes flowed to her ankles. She surveyed the group, her eyes resting on each of them for a moment.

With an ethereal voice, she answered Nightwing's questions. "It is because in your journeying here, my daughter has broken the laws of Azarath. It is forbidden for anyone to leave Azarath or to bring an outsider here. The Elders will imprison us all if you are discovered."

"Mother," voiced Raven. The older woman rushed forward to embrace her.

Tim berated himself for letting down his guard. If the woman had intended to hurt them, they had given her an excellent opportunity to attack. There was no way that she should have been able to get that close to them without their knowledge.

"Ahem," coughed Artemis, "maybe you could introduce us, Raven."

"Oh, of course," answered Raven. She looked to the ground and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Everyone, this is my mother, Arella." She turned towards the woman and began to introduce the heroes that accompanied her.

Arella knelt down to examine Beast Boy. She glanced at her daughter, her eyes forming a wordless question. Raven gave her a noncommittal expression. Tim noted the similarities between this exchange and the silent conversations that Barbara sometimes had with M'gann.

She placed her hand on Beast Boy's forehead. "This one has been placed under a strong psychic binding," she explained. A faint blue light glowed from under her palm as she murmured a few words. "He should awaken soon, now." She turned to face them again.

A few moments passed without anyone speaking. Tim decided they couldn't wait any longer for Raven to explain herself. Maybe her mother would give them the answers that Raven would not. "Why is Azarath so strict on people coming and going?" he demanded bluntly.

Arella sighed and looked into the distance. Several seconds passed before she started to speak. "Like many places, Azarath is not without enemies. Monsters that want to destroy peace and beauty simply because it exists. In particular, a powerful demon lord named Trigon wants to conquer every plane in the universe. He vanquished world after world in infernos of flame and shadows. Nothing could withstand his wrath. After sacrificing hundreds of lives fighting him, Azarath was able to use the demon's pride to tip the scales in our favor. We trapped Trigon along with some of his most powerful lieutenants to a single empty plane. Now, he toils endlessly to gain access to this place to learn our secrets and to use our city to spread his evil across all the planes." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "A little over a decade ago—"

"A little over a decade ago," Raven interrupted, "a woman left the protection of Azarath and journeyed to Earth. While she was there, one of Trigon's disciples captured her and used her to summon his master from his prison. His first act on your plane was to rape the woman. Azarath feared that everything was lost, until the summoning became unstable. The woman was not powerful enough to anchor the demon completely. She was able to escape in the chaos once Trigon was ripped away from your plane. The laws on leaving and entering Azarath are meant to protect us all from Trigon's secret followers. If he ever gained control of someone powerful enough to summon him permanently…" Raven left the end of her sentence unspoken.

The tale chilled them all. To think that evils so menacing existed, and the world at large was utterly ignorant of the fact. Some things were finally starting to come together and make sense, at least, Tim thought. There were so many parallels between Raven's story and the past few days. The new threat, Brother Blood, might even be connected to Trigon's agent. Tim had a few suspicions, but not enough evidence to convince himself completely yet. Better to wait to see if more information would present itself.

Suddenly, Beast Boy's head shot up with a loud gasp. "Look out!" he shouted. The young hero was halfway shifted to his gorilla form before he noticed his surroundings. "Uh…um…nevermind, I guess. Where am I?"

"How much do you remember?" asked Artemis.

"Well, we were in Egypt, and then there was this guy that came from nowhere. He grabbed me, and it felt like I had this big slimy lizard crawling around in my brain. So creepy. It didn't go away until a big blue swan came flying at it. After that, I woke up here."

Nightwing began to fill in Beast Boy on everything that had happened since Brother Blood had ambushed him. Artemis cut in often for clarifications, and Raven murmured back and forth with her mother. Meanwhile, Robin watched Wonder Girl sway on her feet.

Arella followed Tim's gaze with an understanding eye. "Perhaps you all should get some rest. You have journeyed farther today than most do in a lifetime," she said. "Follow me. Theron won't be able to sneak away from his post for several hours."

As the others settled started moving, Tim sent Cassie a pointed look. They both fell to the back of the group and began deliberately lagging behind.

"We're not going to be able to find them again," warned Wonder Girl.

Tim smiled and raised his wrist computer. "Tracker in the hardware. We can home in on Nightwing later. Come on, let's find a quiet place to get you doctored up."

Cassie smirked and raised one of her eyebrows. "So, you want to go play doctor with me, Mr. Drake?"

Robin stopped abruptly. "Oh, um…. I meant literally. Uh… mostly, anyway. Not that I…" stammered Tim.

With a tug of his cape, Cassie pulled Tim to her lips. Tim noticed her wince in the effort, but she still wore a mischievous smile. "You're cute when you trip over you own tongue. Lead the way, Timmy."

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**A/N: Sorry for the long time to update. I haven't abandoned this story. This chapter was especially challenging for me, and I haven't been able to focus on it. I hope you enjoy it. Ratings and reviews are welcome. I'm always trying to improve.**


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